CRN Applications and OS News

AMX has made it easier for integrators to program home integration design tools with its release of Visual Architect, which will undoubtedly set new standards in this space. Visual Architect arrives with drag-and-drop capabilities, intuitive workflow functions, auto-connectivity for a wide variety of devices, and one of the simplest programming interfaces CRN Test Center engineers have seen in this type of tool.

Vendors are turning to ISV partners in order to transform products into customized solutions

For ISVs, finding the right platform on which to develop their products is essential for success in the wide-open world of application development. While Microsoft remains the leader, competitors are working to gain ground.

Vendor will certify the OS, no immediate plans to preload onto its hardware

Microsoft is preparing to dive deeper into the business-intelligence (BI) market next year with the planned release of its new Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007. Partners say integration with the rest of the Office stack will be Microsoft's biggest strength in that space.

Forrester Research analyst Ted Schadler gives his take on the home networking and integration market, Apple's digital home strategy and the interplay between retailers and home integrators in an interview with CRN.

These integrated powerhouses from Acer, HP, Sony and Toshiba stand up to comparably configured desktops

The latest Media Center notebooks can more than hold their own against comparably configured desktops, while possessing sleeker designs and the promise of portability. The CRN Test Center reviewed notebooks from Acer, HP, Sony and Toshiba that are optimized for both digital media and business applications.

Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik said Tuesday that it's tough to find well-qualified job candidates in the United States who also embrace the open-source movement's entrepreneurial values and culture of innovation.